Irish Independent publisher plans voluntary redundancies

Irish Independent publisher Mediahuis Ireland is seeking voluntary redundancies from among its 350 editorial workers in coming weeks.

The company, which publishes national and regional titles across Ireland, told staff on Tuesday it wanted a “single unified journalistic organisation” to support its different formats. “In that context we have opened a voluntary redundancy programme as we seek a reduction in staffing levels across our editorial function.”

The company does not have a target for the total number of redundancies. It is understood that staff have two weeks to take up the option.

Belgian-based Mediahuis owns the Irish Independent, Sunday Independent, Sunday World, Belfast Telegraph and regional papers including The Kerryman and Wexford People. It employs around 350 journalists in total here. Its announcement followed a review of its newspaper businesses sparked by more challenging economic circumstances and changing consumer habits.

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Seamus Dooley, Irish secretary for the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), said the organisation would engage with the company and consult with members across Mediahuis this week.

“We have some concerns about the tight timeframe involved and will be seeking clarification on the numbers involved as well as the impact of any departures on staffing levels and working conditions. We would be strongly opposed to any compulsory redundancies in the event of the company not getting the numbers they require.”

Mediahuis promised to communicate transparently with affected workers.

The company has been refocusing the Irish titles on digital publishing since it bought the former Independent News and Media group in 2019. It closed its last Irish print plant, in Newry, Co Down, at the start of this year. All its titles are printed under contract, including by The Irish Times, which prints the flagship Independent titles.

Mediahuis Ireland said that protecting the future of its journalism and businesses was its priority.